Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and George Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and George

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,266 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,158 in George.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,279 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,912 in George.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,292 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,666 in George.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 9% more expensive than in George, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 7% lower, George 15% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.60 MX$200

$11.06 R 181

4.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.11 MX$812

$43.60 R 714

8.05%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.88 MX$205

$5.11 R 83.7

132.49%

Cappuccino

$3.98 MX$68.6

$2.19 R 35.84

81.74%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.43 MX$24.60

$1.04 R 17.09

37.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 MX$14.22

$0.77 R 12.53

6.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 MX$55.0

$2.84 R 46.51

12.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 MX$117

$3.33 R 54.5

103.90%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.89

$1.16 R 18.92

44.83%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 MX$37.88

$1.09 R 17.86

101.83%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.45

$1.51 R 24.73

13.25%

Eggs

$2.74 MX$47.26

$2.77 R 45.31

-1.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.58 MX$165

$8.72 R 143

9.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.01 MX$155

$5.63 R 92.3

60.04%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.81 MX$221

$6.71 R 110

90.91%

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 MX$49.81

$1.68 R 27.60

72.02%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.81

$1.58 R 25.87

-5.06%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$37.03

$1.58 R 25.91

36.08%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.96

$1.66 R 27.21

36.14%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 MX$34.15

$1.69 R 27.67

17.16%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.30

$1.48 R 24.26

34.46%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 MX$21.28

$1.35 R 22.09

-8.89%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.63

$1.03 R 16.83

16.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.55 MX$78.5

$3.26 R 53.4

39.57%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.37 MX$179

$4.93 R 80.8

110.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.91

$1.32 R 21.62

22.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$49.67

$1.80 R 29.49

60.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.35

$1.52 R 24.96

-60.53%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$497

$28.53 R 467

0.95%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$92.9

$0.66 R 10.82

716.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.73 MX$64.3

$0.52 R 8.45

617.31%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 MX$99.5

$8.79 R 144

-34.36%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.48

$1.27 R 20.86

21.26%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$22.5K MX$388.8K

$31.2K R 510.2K

-27.62%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$26.1K MX$449.3K

$29.7K R 485.9K

-12.17%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$91.4 MX$1,576

$125 R 2,050

-27.00%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$25.20 MX$435

$18.37 R 301

37.18%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.24 MX$539

$46.20 R 757

-32.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 MX$1,159

$31.19 R 511

115.45%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$502

$12.56 R 206

131.77%

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$83.8

$6.12 R 100

-20.59%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$224 MX$3,856

$143 R 2,337

56.74%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,229 MX$72.9K

$5,417 R 88.7K

-21.93%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.10 MX$812

$73.9 R 1,210

-36.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.29 MX$764

$39.03 R 639

13.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.1 MX$1,381

$113 R 1,850

-29.08%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.7 MX$1,598

$88.8 R 1,454

4.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 MX$18.3K

$442 R 7,236

140.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 MX$6,728

$377 R 6,180

3.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 MX$37.1K

$802 R 13.1K

168.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 MX$21.9K

$949 R 15.5K

34.09%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$69.0K

$889 R 14.6K

350.10%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$112.1K

$685 R 11.2K

849.78%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.1K

$1,387 R 22.7K

-45.35%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

10.92

4.85%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Last update for George: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,063 in Playa del Carmen and $442 in George. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

George pays 83% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $47.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $44.00 in George for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $276 vs $192 per month, with George cheaper across the board.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Playa del Carmen vs George: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

George is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 9% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 83% lower in George. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,063 in Playa del Carmen versus $442 in George. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in George – a meal for two runs $44.00 versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,266 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $1,158 in George – a 9% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,158 in George versus $1,266 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,500 budget is realistic in George but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes George the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, George is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Playa del Carmen, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Playa del Carmen and George are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find George gentler on the wallet – expenses run 9% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.